Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1519242
M A Y 2 0 2 4 3 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M ent pressures. But that's all coachable and fixable. I think his best football is ahead of him." The contention that Fashanu is only beginning to tap into his potential has been a major theme of the commentary around his pro football future. It's a result of his age (21) and his quick emergence in 2022 as a high-level NFL prospect. Hav- ing a high ceiling isn't exactly a problem, but during his appearance at the NFL Combine in February, Fashanu wanted to make it clear that he doesn't see himself as the kind of prospect who will have to wait for his chance. "People can think what they want, but at the end of the day, I'm super confident in my ability to play right now," he said. "I've been ready for this moment for a while." — Matt Herb CHOP ROBINSON DE | 6-3 | 254 Projection: First-/Second-Round Pick Robinson hasn't been spending much time the past few months thinking about where the nation's draft pundits have him going. "I don't pay attention to any mock drafts," the All-Big Ten defensive end said at Penn State's Pro Day in March. "I know what type of guy I am, what type of player I am. Wherever I end up — first, second, third round, fourth round — they're going to get the same player." Rest assured, if Robinson is still available when the fourth round arrives, some team is going to get one of the biggest steals in recent NFL history. The far more likely scenario, at least according to all those people he's been ignoring, is that Robin- son will hear his name called at some point late in the first round. Even if, by chance, he's still available when the second round begins, he won't last long on Day 2. Robinson had already been receiving acclaim as a borderline first-rounder in the weeks leading up to the NFL Com- bine in late February. Then the 6-foot-3, 254-pound edge rusher ran a 4.48-sec- ond 40-yard dash in Indianapolis, the third-best time ever by a defensive end weighing more than 250 pounds. That performance, coupled with a 34.5-inch vertical leap and a 10-foot, 8-inch broad jump, opened eyes through- out the league. Analyst Lance Zierlein of NFL.com said Robinson evoked comparisons to one of his predecessors at Penn State, Micah Parsons, now an All-Pro line- backer with the Dallas Cowboys. "Robinson might not be as fast as Par- sons, but he's close," Zierlein noted. "He's ultra-twitchy with the explosiveness to get on top of blockers and overwhelm them in an instant. However, he will need to level up his hand skills and attack an- gles to reach his potential against NFL tackles. "Robinson's electric athletic traits alone should give him a floor as a good NFL starter. If he crafts a rush approach and learns to string moves/counters to- gether, he could reach his ceiling as a de- structive force capable of forcing teams to game plan around him." Robinson did just that in the 22 games he played at Penn State after transferring from Maryland ahead of the 2022 sea- son. He finished with a relatively modest 9.5 career sacks, but he routinely foiled opposing blockers, forcing incomple- tions and interceptions. His pass rushing grades from the 2022 and '23 seasons — 92.4 and 92.3, respectively — were the team's best. Robinson might not have much use for mock drafts, but he was willing to engage in a bit of punditry himself at Penn State's Pro Day. Asked whether he sees himself as a first-round pick, he said, "One hundred percent." "I'm a guy who shows up every single day and gives everything I've got, and I'm consistent with everything I do. "I've got the best get-off and the best bend, and there's nobody who can do that. You can't teach that, and it's very natural to me." ■ Measurements ARMS 32 ½ INCHES HANDS 9 ⅛ INCHES 40 4.48 SECONDS BENCH — VERTICAL 34.5 INCHES BROAD 10 FEET, 8 INCHES 3-CONE — 20-YARD SHUTTLE 4.25 SECONDS What They're Saying About Chop Robinson "Regardless of his lack of polish, Robinson is a gifted player athletically — likely on a level that is top of the class. A lot of what leaves you wanting more from Robinson is coachable. Unlocking that is the key for him to go from a boom-or-bust athlete to a dominant edge defender." — Pro Football Focus "You've got to be able to play the run in the NFL. You've got to be able to hold up, and I think he will. And he will hustle. … He was out for a game and a half [with an undisclosed injury as a junior], so he would have probably had a couple more sacks, but that's the nature of the Penn State defense." — Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN Chop Robinson was Penn State's most effective edge defender after transferring from Maryland following his freshman season. He earned team-best pass-rushing grades of 92.4 in 2022 and 92.3 last season from Pro Football Focus. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL